Ultra Thoroughbred Racing Pty Ltd is a racing syndicate and breeder of thoroughbred racehorses based in Melbourne, Australia. The company is owned by Sean Buckley, with land holdings in Victoria and the Hunter Valley in New South Wales. The business has racing interests primarily in Australia and New Zealand.
History
The company was first located at the 400 acre ‘Barree Stud’ in Willowmavin, NE Victoria, which served as a breeding, spelling and pre-training centre. As the company developed, Barree was redeveloped into a pre-training, spelling and rehabilitation centre. During this process, the company's breeding operations were relocated to the Hunter Valley of New South Wales, where other major Australian and international breeding operations are based. Facilities include a 2000 m sand-based track for workouts, equine water walker and swimming pool, high-speed treadmill, hyperbaric chamber and hydrotherapy equipment.
In the early days of Ultra Thoroughbreds, the company focused on the purchase of race mares, and mares already at stud for breeding. This included the purchase of stock from around the world, notably South Africa and New Zealand, as well as domestically in Australia.
Over the years, Ultra Thoroughbreds diversified, purchasing stock at all stages of development, including a recent focus on ‘two year old in training’ sales. This is in addition to the company's interest in purchasing weanlings, yearlings, tried horses and broodmares. Ultra Thoroughbreds is also an active participant in the sale of these groups of horses. They have had broad success with a variety of winning thoroughbred horses throughout Australia, as well as success in South Africa, New Zealand and at Royal Ascot in the United Kingdom.
In 2014, Ultra Thoroughbreds moved its entire breeding operation to the Hunter Valley, where it purchased Golden Grove Stud (Denman) with G&C Pastoral Company owner Vivian Oldfield. With the growth of the breeding operation, Golden Grove Stud expanded in the 2016 season to nearby Riverslea Farm, with views to develop this into a centre of excellence for the stud's young produce. Recent stakes winning graduates of note include The Barrister (Listed Fernhill Handicap, Royal Randwick), Captain Duffy (Listed Geelong Classic, Geelong), Crown Witness (G3 Quezette Stakes, Caulfield) and the exciting Nature Strip (Inglis Dash, Flemington).
In August 2020 Senior Trainer Danny O Brien won the Fred Hoysted Medal for Victorian trainers after a superb year in which he trained 100 winners for the season at a strike rate of more than 17 per cent.
Group 1 winners
Shamus Award – 2013/14 Timeform Champion Australia 3yo and the highest, most successful and best credentialed son of Snitzel. He is the first horse in history to win the Group 1 VRC Australian Guineas after winning the Group 1 W. S. Cox Plate at Moonee Valley Racecourse. A multiple group performer at two years old, running an exceptional third in the Caulfield Guineas, this exceptional colt raced only in stakes company for the entirety of his career.
Miss Andretti – Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year in 2007 and is the only thoroughbred in racing history to simultaneously hold a total of five track records in Australia and England.
Feature career wins include:
Winterbottom Stakes (G2) (2005) – Ascot, WA (Now a G1 race) Prince of Wales Stakes (G3) (2005) – Ascot, WA Manikato Stakes (G1) (2006) – Moonee Valley, VIC Schillaci Stakes (G2) (2006) – Caulfield, VIC Ian McEwen Trophy (G3) (2006) – Moonee Valley, VIC The Age Classic (G1) (2007) – Flemington, VIC Newmarket Handicap (G1) (2007) – Flemington, VIC Australia Stakes (G1) (2007) – Moonee Valley, VIC Lightning Stakes (G1) (2007) – Moonee Valley, VIC Schweppes Stakes (G2) (2007) – Moonee Valley, VIC King's Stand Stakes (G2) (2007) – Royal Ascot, VIC (Now a G1 race)
Perfect Promise - first South African-bred horse to win a Group 1 in Australia or New Zealand; being a victory in the Group 1 C F Orr Stakes on 11 February 2006, also winning the Emancipation Stakes in 2005. Other feature wins included the Group 1 Cape Fillies Guineas, Group 3 Diana Stakes, as well as second in the Group 1 Fancourt Stakes (all in South Africa prior to her arrival in Australia).
Her sister Iridescence was South Africa's Equus Champion 3YO Filly of 2005 and notably won the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Cup in Hong Kong.
Culminate – New Zealand-bred star, whose feature wins include the Group 2 Tristarc Stakes at Caulfield in 2010, as well as the Group 2 Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes, Group 1 Otaki-Maori Weight for Age, Group 2 Rich Hill Mile, all in New Zealand prior to her success in Australia.